Saturday, February 2, 2013

Spintunes #6 Round 1 Review: Joe Lamb

I think there should have been a little post somewhere telling everyone which Meme/s each song was relating to. Cos there were a couple I had to figure out... and some I couldn't.

Second thing:

There are a lot, an AWFUL lot, of VERY good musicians in this contest. But sadly, few decent lyricists, even less decent 'engineers' and still less decent vocalists. Sadly, all of this impacts on the song. Good music does not a good song make... It helps, but for me, generally speaking, the vocal content is what makes a song a song. If I can't hear it - I can't really like it. If it's bland- I'm not going to want to listen again. If you are off key, or beyond your range or badly 'projecting' your song/emotions/etc, again, it will switch me off pretty quickly. I'm not going to discuss the music too much because, unless it was horrendous, the standard for all the music was quite high! (Such a shame I can hear BLOODY UKELELES IN THERE!!!!)

So...Here goes nothing:

MC Ohm-I - Down In Plankistan

1st

Something unique!

Yeah - This is good.

Only weak part is the "I see them planking" line...

Nice bit of satire in there too!

VERY difficult choice betweem this and 2nd place, but the "Down in Plankistan" hookline, I think, makes it stick a TOUCH more...This is winning it for me.

Josh Holber-Ward - Internet Cats

2nd

Josh, This is SO difficult to place second...

(Thought it was 'Mr Leigh' when it first started!)

SUPERB song and the vocals are very clever.

Multiple Meme hits...

"I can haz...." (clever!)

"You know memes but you don't know me at all..."

"meow meow meow...."

Liked this...

Well played and recorded, vocals could do with a tweaking.

(Although the 'I didn't write the music..." yep, i know it was about the keyboard cat at that point, BUT I thought it was a bit ironic cos I thought this song sounded very Edric-y!

Glen Raphael - Ask A Ninja

3rd

Good vocal performance by Glen here, humorous, and witty.

Overall simply a really cool song!

Yeah... Like this!

Wait What (The Band) - We R Not Gay

4th

I dunno what meme this is meant to be.

Which is a shame cos I kinda liked this.

A bit of a Kraftverk-y, Devo-esque vibe.

The content may well be contentious... but so what?

It's a joke!

If this is NOT disqualified then my rank is above.

Brian Gray - Descartes And I

5th

Nice song, good sideswipe at Forever Alone.

Follows the meme well. Well recorded.

And I could listen again (it's a *little* bit long)

Ross Durand - First World Blues

6th

Ahh Ross... Sounds DIFFERENT!

That alone is enough to put this one higher up than the first 6 on the album before it. But, heres a tip to those he is ahead of.. you can HEAR him, clearly! (Yep - I'm an old bugger who likes to hear the words!) So, this is a fairly steady blues number (extra point for the kazoo.. but minus one for not asking ME to play it!)

;' ) Yeah - top ten stuff.

Steve Durand - One Red Paperclip

7th

Meme well met. Well played, decently sung, a good workhorse of a song.

A bit A-2-Z though.

Dr. Lindyke - Famous Last Words

8th

I dunno what this is referencing...?

I can't see a meme called Famous Last Words on the list?

Unusually for Dave, lyric is a little submerged in the mix.

Nice song, and vocally interesting.

Edric Haleen - For Zoe

9th

Wow Edric sounds different! ;' )

Anyway... nice take on the meme.

But... unfortunately the song itself didn't grab me.

(Ash loved it!)

'Buckethat' Bobby Matheson - Problems

10th

Oh... LOUD squeezebox!

Makes it difficult to listen to, but the song is good!

A bit Dylanesque!

Army Defense - Miss Teen South Carolina

11th

A well produced number. 'Quirky' vocals is probably the best way to describe this.

Very nice George Harrison guitar! Can't decide if this truly meets the meme or not.

Seems a bit tagged on at the end...

The Orion Sound - Hashtag (Damien's Story)

12th

Okay.... this was a good song.

(Is this a First World Problems one?)

A bit Tim Minchin-y, could have done without the butting in bits at the start.

Andrew Glover - Hey, Winnabego Man

13th

Sounds like it was recorded at 3am when you didnt want anyone to hear you.

Its a decent enough song. Approaches the meme from the right angle for me.

Nothing outsanding, but worth a listen.

The Chocolate Chips - Forever Alone

14th

I dunno what to say about this one...

There seems to be a lot of 'Effected' vocals in this round.

Interesting enough, lyric is generally good.

Just doesn't have anything to make it stand out.

What it does do is make the time seem to pass quicker. WHich is always a good sign.

I liked this... but it needed more to it.

Kevin Savino Riker - The Ballad Of Andrew Meyer

15th

Good guitar, vocal seemed forced, as did the lyric.

Could have been quite fun, but... too forced, Kevin.

RC The Philosoraptor

16th

Okay I suppose this is quite a clever song (Having a truly philosophical Raptor) Music is good, well mixed, well played, but lyric is a little... I dunno...

Look, here's the problem, the first 6 tracks on the album sounded like they were by the same people/person. Unfortunately, maybe unfairly, that takes this one down.

Jenny Katz - Boom Goes The Dynamite

17th

Sound is excellent, very well produced.

But the song didn't grab me at all. Hookline sounds a bit forced,

as does the fitting to the theme... for me.

Brandon Lorrekovich - Hankey Plankey

18th

Out of all the tracks the two most original songs have been about planking!

This is a good attempt, but again.. why so long???

Blimp Exhaust - S.A.P (Socially Awkward Penguin)

19th

This starts well, but... I dunno.. the effected vox makes it again sound like the same people from the pool...

The Middle Relievers - 2 Eyes 1 Regret

20th

ANOTHER "we all sound the same" song.... Whats going ON here!?!?

Anyway, Lyric clear until we get to the scissor sisters part. (Plus point for a decent falsetto!) Guitars probably well played, but mix is awful, no separation. (Am i hearing a keyboard in there??)

About a minute too long.

Godz Poodlz - Miss Carolina

21st

Does this change tempo or beat about 30 seconds in??

Well, it's okay I suppose, but too long again!

And one paced which is a shame, cos half way through when the drums kicked in I thought it was gonna take off.. but it didn't.

T.C. Elliott - One Red Paperclip

22nd

Decent enough song, but...a bit limited by following the actual events of the meme.

Doesnt give it a lot of re-play value.

Jailhouse Playback - Gem Sweater Lady

23rd

Never heard of this meme.. Don't know if the song met the challenge or not (Other than it names her?) But... another kinda... plodding song. and STILL sounds like the same guys.

Jerry Sids - Not A Good Guy

24th

Seems good enough, but double tracking is clumsy and makes the vocals almost unintelligible.

Number 2 in the "we all sound the same" list.

Steven Wesley Guiles - Boom Goes The Dynamite

25th

"My favourite one line...."

Which is a shame cos the song seems to follow that lyric too well...

TurboShandy - Piss Lightning (My Canine Friend)

26th

Best part of the song is the last 13 seconds.

Had the rest of the song stuck to this sort of sound I think I may have liked it more.

Vincent Black Shadow - Baby Panda

27th

Another "we all sound the same" one...

Just.. nothing there...

The last 45 seconds were painful to listen to.

Atom and E.V. - Welcome Wagon

28th

Sorry guys, couldn't take this.

(One take?)

Q - Chuck Norris

29th

Moving along....

Music may well be good, but its too muddy. Lyric is sadly boring.

Foobar - Leeroy Jenkins

30th

Sorry - I hated this.

(I'm sure it was a good idea, but the intervening voices were horrific and overused)